New Lens

Andysnap

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Andy Grant
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Morning folks

I'm thinking of getting one of the following lenses to use on my F301 and I can't decide which one to go for. Nikon 35mm f2.5 or the f2 version or possibly the Nikon 28mm f2.8, I'm looking at the older versions (E series?) of these lenses as I only need MF.

Anyone any thoughts on which one would be best. Only looking at doing some landscapes/candids so don't need super-fast glass as it will all be outdoors.

Cheers

Andy
 
If you are not worried about money then get Nikon, but there are plenty of cheaper alternatives and whether you can see the difference on a computer screen or 8X10 print is debatable.
 
I did consider cheaper but I have a Tamron 28mm Adaptall and it is definitely not as sharp as I would like so I thought Nikon would be the better bet. Can you suggest any makes which are as good but cheaper?

Cheers

Andy
 
Go for the 35mm f2 supposed to be a really nice lens.

I use one on an Zuiko 35mm on an Olympus camera and it is great lens to use for candids/landscape and anything else.
 
have you thought about the 24mm f/2.8? my favourite focal length for landscapes
 
I have a 24mm f2.8 nikkor but would like the 35mm f2, but secondhand prices have risin a bit.The 28mm seems a middle of the road lens,the 24 gives you a nice perspective and the 35 gets you more involed without being distorted
If i went for a 28 mm it would be a pc lens for buildings
 
Thanks guys, still not sure what to get though as the Nikon prices do seem a bit on the high side.
Any suggestions for cheaper options? How do M42 lenses measure up? What I want to do is produce sharp pictures.

Andy
 
I did consider cheaper but I have a Tamron 28mm Adaptall and it is definitely not as sharp as I would like so I thought Nikon would be the better bet. Can you suggest any makes which are as good but cheaper?

Cheers

Andy

Well I know you would like to use your Nikon but you solved the WA end with the Zuiko 28mm lens from the bootie to go with your OM10, and if you want 24mm then the Ensinor 24mm f2.8 is very good for under a tenner and a Kiron 28mm-105mm zoom is very good and still cheap.
At the bootie see if you can pick up a M42 58mm Helios 44-2 or 44m or meyer 50mm or Pentacon 50mm for a few quid each...very good nifty fifty screw lenses to play with.
 
Well I know you would like to use your Nikon but you solved the WA end with the Zuiko 28mm lens from the bootie to go with your OM10, and if you want 24mm then the Ensinor 24mm f2.8 is very good for under a tenner and a Kiron 28mm-105mm zoom is very good and still cheap.
At the bootie see if you can pick up a M42 58mm Helios 44-2 or 44m or meyer 50mm or Pentacon 50mm for a few quid each...very good nifty fifty screw lenses to play with.


Thanks for that, I'd better make a list.

Andy
 
Thanks for that, I'd better make a list.

Andy

...and it's fun getting very good results from lenses going cheap. If I win the lottery I'll have the very best lenses, until then...................

Ensinor 24mm f2.8
ensinor24mm800pix.jpg


Ensinor 80-200mm
Ensinor80-200mm800pix.jpg


Meyer M42 135mm Orestor wide open, picked up at the bootie for £3
Meyer135mmf28-3.jpg
 
My vote would always be for the 35mm f/2 Nikkor - it's my main prime 'go-to' lens...
 
I've been searching eBay for a 28 or 35mm for my F3

maybe only f2.8, but it's for landscapes and I'm skint.....:(

anyway - the E series are now so stupid pricewise you may as well get an Ai or Ai-S
 
...and it's fun getting very good results from lenses going cheap. If I win the lottery I'll have the very best lenses, until then...................Ensinor 24mm f2.8

that's not half bad

clue me in here...? .... with these M42 screw-in lens I suspect a

M42 screw to Nikon F mount adapter is needed....eBay?

doesn't putting an adapter between lens and camera focal plane, move the objective lens "further" from the film - thus changing the focal length

may have used the wrong terms, but get my meaning ?
 
I think that the adaptor fits as normal to the camera and then the lens screw into the adaptor in effect down to the level of where an ordinary lens would fit. Not 100% sure about that though.

Andy
 
...and it's fun getting very good results from lenses going cheap. If I win the lottery I'll have the very best lenses, until then...................Ensinor 24mm f2.8

that's not half bad

clue me in here...? .... with these M42 screw-in lens I suspect a

M42 screw to Nikon F mount adapter is needed....eBay?

doesn't putting an adapter between lens and camera focal plane, move the objective lens "further" from the film - thus changing the focal length

may have used the wrong terms, but get my meaning ?

All you need is a M42 adapter for each make of camera...as for the lens screwed in changing the focal length, well in theory and I'm guessing it might very slightly do that, and I haven't noticed a problem with WISIWIG for focussing, but maybe in precision macro work it might show.
 
All you need is a M42 adapter for each make of camera...as for the lens screwed in changing the focal length, well in theory and I'm guessing it might very slightly do that, and I haven't noticed a problem with WISIWIG for focussing, but maybe in precision macro work it might show.

thanks -- M42 adapters on eBay - with infinity focusing - appear to be between £20-40 which kinda takes the edge off a cheap M42 lens ...?:thinking:
 
erm you are in the film forum? what's all this infinity focussing?

sorry dont understand your comment about the film forum ?

adapters were listed on eBay as "non-optical" and "optical to allow focusing to infinity"

as I see that as a lens question and not a media question - I'll leave now !
 
I think John, for film cameras, the non optical one is fine. Its basically a ring which has the camera mount on one side and a screw mount on the other side.

For memory, only Nikon design does not allow mounting of m42 lens due to the distance of the lens to film plane on Nikon cameras. So to get properly focussed, you need another lens between the M42lens and camera body....

My C/Y to M42 adapters are all without any lens; and it works fine

It could be very different for Digital, where they always need a optical adapter...certainly for Nikon digital sit would. I dont know about the digital ones...

Edit : doh,:bonk: you are looking to use it on your Nikons. You will need the optical adapter..
 
thanks -- M42 adapters on eBay - with infinity focusing - appear to be between £20-40 which kinda takes the edge off a cheap M42 lens ...?:thinking:

Don't bother with cheap F - mount to M42 adapters as the flange focal distance is longer for the F- mount so another element has to added in to allow infinity focus and obviously cheap lens glass like that will reduce the M42 lens optical quality plus the element adds on about 20% to the focal length so a 28mm becomes about a 34mm lens.

According to a recent insert with Amateur Photographer magazine, Kood does one for about £35.00 and SRB-Griturn does one for about £42.
 
sorry dont understand your comment about the film forum ?

adapters were listed on eBay as "non-optical" and "optical to allow focusing to infinity"

as I see that as a lens question and not a media question - I'll leave now !

Well I'm not complaining just curious and I go to plenty of DSLR forums, it's just that I would assume that in this forum people would be using or thinking about using a film camera, and film users don't usually have problems with MF lenses on most MF film cameras, so don't need special adapters for reaching infinity or worrying about mirrors hitting the lens (as on DSLRs).
 
Well I'm not complaining just curious and I go to plenty of DSLR forums, it's just that I would assume that in this forum people would be using or thinking about using a film camera, and film users don't usually have problems with MF lenses on most MF film cameras, so don't need special adapters for reaching infinity or worrying about mirrors hitting the lens (as on DSLRs).

You are right, but Nikon is the only exception, where you need a optical mount to use M42 even for Nikon film cameras....
 
LOL I have Nikon EM and N2000 and didn't know that...IIRC I paid about £4 each for M42 adapters for my Canon FD and Minolta X-700 and of course have two M42 cameras.

Are you saying that Nikon actually doesnot need a optical adapter....because that'll be very interesting. From everything I have read, the view on this has been consistent ( but of course could be consistently wrong).

If M42 can be used on a Nikon body without a non optical adapter, and retain the infinity focus that definitely opens up a lot of possibilites.
 
Nikon and Olympus need an optical adapter if you need to focus your M42 lens to infinity.
You can use an adapter with no element, but the lens won't focus to infinity.

I have a Kood optical adapter and one with no element, I've shot digital with both and can't see any degradation in the adapter containing the element.
I bought it to have a go with some cheap and exotic lenses.
Nikon don't make a 135mm 2.8 prime with 20 blades....:)
 
Are you saying that Nikon actually doesnot need a optical adapter....because that'll be very interesting. From everything I have read, the view on this has been consistent ( but of course could be consistently wrong).

If M42 can be used on a Nikon body without a non optical adapter, and retain the infinity focus that definitely opens up a lot of possibilites.


No, I meant I really didn't know as I haven't bought a M42 adapter for Nikon.
 
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